27 Most Epic Moments From Our iHeartRadio Music Festivals Through the Years

We're less than a week away from the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival and we want to prepare you because ish is about to go down. Throughout the show's five-year history, we've brought you with some of the most insane music moments, including one-of-a-kind collaborations, onstage meltdowns and, of course, hit-worthy sets. To prep you for this year's installment of the ceremony, we've rounded up 27 of the most OMG-worthy moments in the festival's history.
<p>
The 2011 iHeartRadio Music Festival was the first year of what has since become an epic annual event. The <b>Black Eyed Peas</b> opened the show, and it was pretty incredible to see a bona-fide headliner (They performed at the SuperBowl!) <i>open</i> the entire festival. </B></P>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
Also in 2011,<b> Lady Gaga</b> and <b>Sting</b> shared the stage for a special collaboration of "Stand By Me" and "King of Pain" - an unforgettable moment in iHeartRadio Music Festival history!<p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
Natasha Bedingfield joined Rascal Flatts onstage at the 2011 iHeartRadio Music Festival to perform their duet, "Easy."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>Jay-Z</b> and <b>Alicia Keys</b> also shared the stage at the inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival to perform "Empire State of Mind," and they brought down the house!
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>Bruno Mars</b> paid tribute to <b>Amy Winehouse</b>, who died in July of 2011 - two months before the 2011iHeartRadio Music Festival - with a special performance of "Valerie."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
</p><p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>Taylor Swift</b> performed at the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival - one month before the release of her record-breaking album, <i>RED</i>. She performed the album's first single, "We Are Never Getting Back Together," setting the stage for the banner year she was about to have.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
It's near impossible to mention the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival without acknowledging <b>Green Day</b>'s meltdown moment. <b>Billie Joe Armstrong</b> told the festival crowd, " I'm not f***ing Justin Bieber, motherf***ers!" before smashing his guitar, throwing up a middle finger and walking off the stage. He checked into a rehab facility days later.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>Mary J. Blige</b> surprised everyone during her 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival set when she brought music icon <b>Prince</b> onstage for an unforgettable duet of "Nothing Compares 2 U."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>
One of the most talked-about, blogged about, and laughed about moments in iHeartRadio Music Festival history happened backstage in 2012 when <b>Flava Flav</b> accidentally mistook<b> Miley Cyrus</b> for <b>Gwen Stefani</b>. <a href="/media/play/22466060/"target="new">Check out the video!</a>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
Speaking of <b>Gwen Stefani</b>... <b>No Doubt</b> kicked off the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival with an epic performance that included a cameo from <b>P!nk</b> during "Just A Girl"... and a smooch!
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
The next night, <b>P!nk</b> opened the show with a high-flying performance that was part mouth-dropping circus acrobatic act, part rock show, part lesson in vocal dexterity. She sang flawlessly while suspended upside down from the rafters - all this while her baby slept backstage. And that was Saturday's <i>opening act</i> that year.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>Pitbull</b>'s 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival closing performance was awesome when it happened, but what's even more epic is that it will live on in song for eternity. In his song "Hope We Meet Again" featuring <b>Chris Brown</b> from his album <i>Global Warming</i>, Mr. 305 raps, "One thing's for certain, two things for sure/
iHeartRadio, I close show."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>Miley Cyrus</b> performed at the first-ever iHeartRadio Music Festival Village in 2013, where she made headlines for crying during an emotional performance of "Wrecking Ball."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
Not only did <b>Miley Cyrus</b> generate buzz for her tear-soaked iHeartRadio Music Festival Village performance, she also raised eyebrows when she showed up backstage at the MGM Grand wearing this! YOWZA!
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
At the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival, <b>Queen</b>, <b>Adam Lambert</b> and <b>Fun.</b> performed "Somebody To Love" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" together during Queen + Adam Lambert's night 1 closing set, and it was one of the most talked-about moments of the year. Brian May later said the iHeartRadio Music Festival performance was the catalyst that ignited the idea for the Queen + Adam Lambert tour.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
<b>J. Cole</b> and <b>TLC</b> joined forces at the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival to perform their song together, "Crooked Smile."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
Plus, don't forget when he brought out Miguel for a performance of "Power Trip."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
Kesha offered up a little Rock & Roll (and Jack Daniels!) to the iHeartRadio Music Festival stage in 2013 when she brought Joan Jett out for a duet of "Bad Reputation," and it did not disappoint!
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
One of the biggest moments in the history of the iHeartRadio Music Festival has to be <b>Paul McCartney</b>'s second-night opening set at the 2013 show. That's right, we got a Beatle, and technically, he opened for <b>Justin Timberlake</b>.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
Macklemore surprised the audience when he showed up to sing "Same Love" with Ed Sheeran at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>
At the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival, Weezer had a group drum session.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
In case you forgot, Pete Wentz crowd surfed in a raft during Steve Aoki's set at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Brian Friedman for iHeartRadio</p>
Oh, and Usher showed some love to Alicia Keys and her then-unborn baby back at the 2014 ceremony.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
He also set his shoes on fire onstage during after a dance battle with Chris Breezy.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
We told you. Ursh and Breezy went at it.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Getty Images for iHeartRadio</p>
In 2015, Sam Smith and Disclosure joined forces for a few of their collaborative bangers and, yes, we danced along.
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>
Demi Lovato brought her inner '90s kid out when she surprised the audience with Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind to cover mega-smash, "Jumper."
<p><strong><a href="http://www.iheart.com/live/iheartradio-music-festival-16-5158/?campid=content_listen_text" target="_blank">Listen to iHeartRadio Music Festival '16 Radio on iHeartRadio</a></strong></p>
<p>Photo: Andrew Swartz for iHeartRadio</p>